Until the End of Time
by Danger9000
Summary: The Treasure Chest Shop girl has an interesting 3rd day.
1. Chapter 1

"Geez it's so boring here..." the words plainly roll out my mouth as I slump onto the counter in front of me.

Usually I would expect to see at least a few customers a day, but since the preparation for the upcoming Carnival of Time's been in effect, this place has been a ghost town. And here I thought business would be booming.

The only customer that we've had in the past three days was a little deku scrub kid, and I didn't even charge him full price for a game. He just seemed so lost and confused, I felt bad for him.

It probably has something to do with the moon. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Everyone keeps saying it's gonna fall. That, and it's got a face. A really creepy one at that.

With everyone evacuating Clock Town, and little to no tourists visiting, it makes me wonder why management doesn't just shut the place down, or at least let me close up shop early. At this point it's probably costing more just to keep the place running.

I suppose the Mayor wants us town merchants to save face throughout this state of panic. I can't say that I'm not afraid though. Had it of been my choice, I would have evacuated with everyone else. So ultimately, in one way or another, this job is going to get me killed.

"I definitely don't get paid enough for this."


	2. Chapter 2

A little more than halfway through my shift a customer comes through the door. It's basically a miracle.

Did it have to be the cutest guy in Termina though? I start feeling a little nervous when he comes up to the counter.

"Hi! Do you want to play a game?" I ask almost stuttering but I manage to keep my cool.

"You bet. How much is it?" he's got a really mellow, laid back sounding voice. I think I could get used to hearing it.

"Hmm...for you, it's just five rupees."

I'd probably get fired if management ever found out about me giving so many customers discounts, but I really don't care at this point. I'm ready to be out of this place.

"That's a great deal sweetie, thank you."

I can feel myself blushing when he hands me five rupees for the game. I only hope he doesn't notice.

I get the game set up and wish him luck before the timer begins. When it does, he takes off running through the maze with surprising agility. He's quick to take new directions when walls come up along the path and he doesn't get caught in any dead ends. Most people have difficulty with this game, but he seems to make short work of it.

Not surprisingly, he makes it to the end of the maze and claims the 50 rupee prize from the chest with time to spare. After pocketing the money, he comes up to the counter with a proud looking smirk on his face. I subtly try to look cute, twisting my hair around my finger.

"Wow, I'm impressed! I've never seen someone complete the maze so quickly!"

"Aw thanks hun, natural talent I suppose.." he says cooly as he leans against the counter.

I giggle and he looks me in the eyes. There's an odd sort of tension between us that you could cut with a knife. But it in a weird way it feels nice.

"Well...thanks to you, I've got 45 rupees to spend tonight. What would you say to me taking you out somewhere after you get off?"

I know he can see me blushing now.

"Oh...um...I'd love to..." I say shyly as I play with my hair, finding it hard to look him directly in the eyes.

"Great...I'm so glad. What's your name, cutie?"

"Marcy...and you?"

"Japas..."

I can't help but think that name sounds really familiar after he says it.

"Well, I get off at 8...think you can meet me outside then?"

"Of course, love. I'll be waiting."

My smile is a mile wide as he leaves the shop and it almost feels like my body is floating. I don't think I've ever felt this way before.

Quitting time can't be soon enough.


	3. Chapter 3

Hours go by without any other interesting events, and Japas is all I can think about. I keep wondering what he has planned for a date, or if we're just gonna make it up as we go.

I've actually never been out with a guy before. Let's just say I have a type, and he's it. Guys from town are a dime a dozen, and as of today, I'm glad that I waited for someone that I really liked.

Another mini earthquake shakes the ground below my feet. For some reason, they've been happening like crazy today. The moon must be getting closer.

If it does end up falling; and I don't make it out of here in time, I can at least die knowing that I had one last good thing happen to me. Maybe even the best thing that's ever happened to me.

I stare at the clock on the wall longingly, wishing the little hands would tick by faster.


	4. Chapter 4

At long last, 8 pm finally arrives.

All I've been doing for the last 10 minutes of my shift is making sure my hair and outfit are perfectly in order for my date. I just want to look good enough for him.

And all afternoon I've been worrying about the possibility of getting stood up. Not that anything about Japas made me think that he would do something like that, but he's just so cute that he could easily find a better date than me for the evening. I couldn't blame him if he did, but I'd be really disappointed if that did happen.

Finally, it's time to leave. I take in a deep breath and let it out slowly before stepping outside the shop. I open the door, look around, and see that he isn't there.

I lock the door behind me and lean against the wall on the corner of the shop, sighing disappointingly.

Maybe he's just running late.

A few moments go by with me wondering if I look like a fool right now.

"Gotcha!"

x has mini heart attack x

Without warning I get grabbed from the side and I let out a loud yelp. When I realize that I'm being held by a pair of fins, I burst into a fit of giggles.

"You scared me, jerk!" I say playfully after Japas lets me go.

"Sorry sweetie, I just couldn't help it. You looked so cute." he says teasingly.

"Yeah right, I probably looked like a total loser" I say offhandedly. "So how long were you waiting out here?"

"At least a half hour. I really wanted to see you."

My cheeks start to burn up for the third time today. He actually waited that long for me?

"Really? why?" I ask shyly, holding one of my arms with the other.

"I missed seeing your beautiful face...the way you blush around me"

So he did notice. And I guess I'll never stop blushing now.

"Aw...you're too sweet" I say shyly. It's impossible to tame the butterflies he gives me, but part of me wishes it won't ever end.

"Only for you" he says as he grabs both my hands tenderly. For a Zora, they're surprisingly warm to the touch. "I made a reservation for us at a restaurant in town, if you still wanted to go..."

"Of course I do, I really wanted to go on this date with you. And also, I'm starving."

We both laugh and smile warmly at eachother.

"Me too, let's get going"

We start walking together, his hand intertwined in mine, and I let him be the guide. I start to regret ever doubting him; he really is a gentleman, but perhaps I was just doubting myself.

Eventually we make it to the restaurant and we don't have to wait in any lines to be seated. Probably because everyone else in town has evacuated already.

Whatever you do Marcy, don't order the fish.


	5. Chapter 5

We talked a little bit over dinner, but most of the time we spent just looking at eachother adoringly in blissful silence. The restaurant had such a calm and romantic setting, it was easy to just melt away. We both ended up ordering vegetarian dishes, which was still just as delicious and satisfying as anything else I would have gotten.

Ever since we left the restaurant, we've been walking hand in hand towards North Clock Town for the second part of our date. When we get there, I'm glad to see that no one's really there. The only people up here are a guard stationed at the northern exit and a bomber kid shooting blow darts at a balloon. They both seem to be too distracted to even notice us come in.

We climb onto the playground area and sit next to eachother atop the slide. We get cozy next to eachother and spent a few moments in silence. We simultaneously look up at the night sky and the ever-growing moon with somber eyes. The earth rumbles again below us.

"Do you think what they say is true? About the moon?" I ask Japas quietly, a sorrowful undertone in my voice. This is a subject in which I've been avoiding all night. It's not cheerful, and it's all everyone's been talking about lately.

"It's hard to say. All I know is that things haven't been the same lately, even back in the Great Bay. Bad things have been happening...maybe the moon is somehow connected to it all. Whether it will actually fall or not...only time will tell..."

"But how much time do we have left? The Carnival of Time is tomorrow; that's when they say it's gonna fall. But even if it doesn't, at the rate in which people have been evacuating, there won't be anyone here left to celebrate. It's what us town merchants have been working so hard for. But it's like it was all for nothing..."

"I hate to say it, but it's not the right time for it anymore. You see...I was supposed to be a part of it too. I was gonna play here with my band tomorrow. We've spent months writing and rehearsing new songs just for the Carnival of Time. But our lead singer lost her voice after her eggs were stolen. And our guitarist Mikau...we have no idea where he is. Some think he went after the thieves who stole Lulu's eggs. But that was weeks ago, and surely he would have turned up by now, empty handed or not. Beyond that, not everyone in the band feels comfortable about being here tomorrow, given the moon's current state. I would have gave it all up weeks ago if our leader Evan wasn't so in denial about everything. The show must go on, he says. But the situation seems hopeless, and taking such a huge risk by performing here tomorrow is just out of the question for me. Until the truth becomes clear...taking refuge should be our first priority."

I'm left stunned, taken aback on a whole new level by his revelation.

"I...I thought your name sounded familiar to me! You're the bass guitarist for the Indigo-Go's! I'm actually quite a fan of your band's work...and your legacy...but I suppose everyone is, aren't they? It's such a shame to hear what's been happening to you all...I'm so sorry..." I say giving him a half-hearted smile at the end which he returns, though the sorrow still plain on both our faces. "But if what you say is true...why did you come into town today? It's the last place anyone wants to be...considering..."

"I thought perhaps it would be the last time I'd ever get to see town. It had already been so long since the last time I did. It seems like all I've done over the past few months is work...and for what? Surely you understand how that feels."

"I definitely do. The hours I've been forced to work lately are pretty much criminal..." we both chuckle a little bit and he lays his hand comfortingly over mine. Sorrow washes over me again, and I look to his hand holding mine with slight uncertainty. "But...why choose to spend this evening...with me?"

He takes a few moments to gather his thoughts. Then his eyes look deeply into mine.

"Something about you...gave me hope. Maybe just the way I felt being around you. Genuinely happy...for the first time in a long time...despite of everything else going on. When I first saw you...it was like you were the only thing I could see...not any of this fear and emptiness around us. And after I left...you were the only thing I could think about." My heart skips a beat with every word he says, and his eyes never break contact from me. "I knew there had to be something more. And now that I've met you, I feel that tomorrow may not truly be the end..."

He leans in closer to me and I know what he intends to do. It feels right; the time and place. The stars may have even been aligned perfectly for us in this exact moment.

We kiss. It's tender, it's passionate, and it's perfect. He puts his arms around me, gently pulling me in deeper.

I can honestly say that nothing has ever felt better in my entire life. I can only hope that he feels the same way.

After what seems like an eternity, our lips part. He looks me unwaveringly in the eyes, the seriousness in his gaze giving off a feeling of dire importance.

"Come with me."

I'm taken aback by his directness. I'm not sure what he means.

"Where?" I ask with some hesitance in my voice.

"To Zora Hall...they say it's like a safe haven." I'm sure the skepticism was plain on my face, because he elaborates further. "No one can say for sure what will happen tomorrow...but Zora Hall is underwater, and perhaps it will be resistant to at least some of the damage of the moon falling. It may be our only chance of making it through this alive."

I consider his idea with more skepticism.

"It's just that...Terminians don't often venture there...for fear of being an unwelcomed outsider. Your people are very private, are they not?" I ask carefully, my eyes shifting away from him uncomfortably.

"That may be true, love. But you need'nt worry about them. A guest of mine should always be welcomed, if not honored. If anyone were to disrespect you in any sort of way, they'll be sorry. I'll make sure of that."

A warm feeling engulfs my entire body. I love how protective he intends to be of me. It makes me feel so safe and cared for, more than I ever have been. I smile widely and internally make the decision final.

"I'll go with you."

He's happy to hear this. He kisses me again, more deeply this time. My heart flutters, making me feel light as a feather. Another eternity passes before our lips part again.

"It's decided then, we should leave straight away. But first, let's go to your place, so you can pack any essentials you need to bring with you."

"Right" I nod to him in agreement.

We simultaneously move ourselves over to the slide on our left. I position myself in front of him, his torso behind me and legs beside mine as we go down the slide together with a satisfying 'voosh'. I giggle when we reach the bottom. I haven't gone down this slide since I was little kid.

He helps me up from the ground and onto my feet. With his hand in mine, I lead the way to my place.


	6. Chapter 6

I get a backpack in my house and gather all the things I should need. I sorrowfully look back into my home after we leave out the front door, for it may be the last time I ever see it. I don't even bother to lock it behind me.

"I guess I won't be going in to work tomorrow either. Do you think I should leave a note for management?"

"I think they'll have a pretty good understanding as to your absence. They'd be fools to not seek refuge themselves."

"You're right. Let's just get going." I give him a hopeful smile. He returns the same one and kisses me on the forehead.

We leave through the opposite end of town heading west. The guard stationed at the exit gives us a somber, knowing look with a hand silently placed over his heart. He lets us pass through without question.

I try not to think about all the citizens in town who have yet to take refuge, and those who have no choice but to stay. Our foolish government...if something should happen to these people tomorrow...their blood will be on their hands.

It doesn't take long for Japas and I to reach the gate to Great Bay Coast. He boosts me up over the fence and climbs up effortlessly behind me.

The hike is longer than I thought, but eventually we make it to the coast. The winds by now have picked up drastically. I can feel the mixture of sand and salt in the air as it fiercely blows in our direction, almost like it wants to keep us out.

"It's coming from the water temple" he says to me while shielding his eyes from the strong gusts. "Something is wrong there too...but none of us know what." This news hardly surprises me at his point. "Just more things that the moon has affected probably."

I nod, and we continue on our trek.

The winds are a little calmer as we enter into Zora Cape. We come up to the water and he lays down on his stomach.

"Get on my back. I'm going to swim us the rest of the way there."

I carefully sit down on his slim and muscular back, praying to the Four Giants that I don't accidentally squish him. Thankfully, he doesn't seem to mind my added body weight at all.

"Hold on tight" he says.

We take off slowly, leaving the beach and heading into the ocean. He's surprisingly buoyant as he swims on the water and I hardly get splashed by the incoming waves at all.

It doesn't take long to reach the place we're going, verily marked by an enormous conch shell protruding from the ocean and surrounded by a large rock wall.

"The main entrance is through the front, but we're gonna go around back, that way you don't have to go underwater."

"Ok" I say, also surmising that us coming in through the back might help keep us from being seen by anyone. There was definitely a possibility of the locals being a little judgmental about me being there.

We get to the rear entrance of Zora Hall and I climb off his back and onto the ledge. He follows behind me, climbing up onto the ledge and shaking the water off his fins.

Then he pulls me in for a hug, taking in my smell.

"Stay close to me" he whispers in my ear. "I'm gonna try to sneak us in. If you're with me, no one should say anything. But you can never be too careful. Hopefully no one will notice."

I nod at him in agreement. He slings his right fin around me and pulls me in so close that I'm practically glued to his side. I get chills from it.

We walk into Zora Hall together. I can faintly hear music being played from the main stage. We go down a hallway and pass by a shop, then we enter into the grand atrium. It truly was a sight to see. Only I didn't have time to enjoy it for very long.

We hurried on our way to his room, practically slinking ourselves against the far wall so as not to be seen. We mostly seemed to come into there unnoticed, as most of the locals weren't looking our way or were preoccupied with something else.

It wasn't until we got to his door that a group of female Zoras huddled together next to the stage noticed us. Two of them shot daggers at me with their eyes, while the other one just straight up looked at me with disgust. They narrowed their eyes at me whilst talking amongst themselves, then soon their hateful stares turned into fits of laughter.

Tears started to well up in my eyes. I was so embarrassed. I did my best to suppress my urge to cry, at least in front of them. Japas noticed what had happened right away, and he was livid. He opened the door to his room for me, then led me inside, momentarily leaving the door open as he was turning to leave to deal with the situation.

"Clock Town slut!" I heard one of the girls call out, followed by a roar of laughter.

Japas heard it too and tried his best to keep his cool in front of me as he looked me in the eye, giving me a serious look. His fury was apparent.

"They aren't going to get away with this, Marcy. I promise. You just stay here and I'll go set them straight."

He closed the door behind him, shutting me alone in his room while he stormed off towards the girls on the other side.

I freely let the tears fall down my face and sank down into the sand of his bedroom floor. I must have looked like such a fool to them. And I probably wasn't the first girl he's brought into his bedroom either. Not by a long shot. They must have thought I was just another band whore. But it's not true.

I sat alone in his room crying for several minutes before he came back in. I looked at him with sad eyes, but he helped me up off the ground and grabbed the sides of my face, giving me a long, deep kiss. It instantly made me feel better.

"Don't worry, Marcy. Those girls won't ever mess with you again. I can promise you that. I'll never let anyone disrespect you and get away with it."

I blushed hard, touched that he stood up for me, and without hesitation.

"So what happened?" I asked curiously.

A devious yet playful smile crossed his lips.

"Can fish drown?"

"Uh, no?" I said back, almost giggling.

"Well, I might have tried" he said both humorously and matter-of-factly.

"Oh my gosh, you didn't!" I blurted out, laughing at the idea and imagining him doing such a thing.

"Yeah. Anyway, they deserved it. I told them off too."

"Who were they anyway?" I asked.

He contemplated his answer for a few moments.

"Are you familiar with the term 'groupies?'" he asked. I nod, feeling my heart sink into my chest a little. "Well all they are are a bunch of jealous nobodies. They try to sleep with every member of the band. But they're all just empty headed and shallow. They could never compete with someone like you" he lifted up my chin and looked me in the eyes.

The look I gave back to him must have been more than a little doubtful and disappointed.

"You've been with girls like that before though, haven't you? It almost seems obvious..." I momentarily averted my eyes from him in shame.

He was silent for a few moments, and that said it all.

"Maybe I used to be that kind of person. I loved the fame and fortune and all the kinds of attention it brought me, including girls." His words stung me like a jellyfish and I held my arms around myself comfortingly. "But if I hadn't been that kind of guy when I was younger, than I wouldn't be who I am today. I wouldn't have had the sense to fall for a girl like you. You're so much more than what they are. And that makes you special to me."

His arms wrapped around me from behind and my sadness began to dissipate. I completely melted into him.

"I don't deserve you" I said quite clearly.

"Well, I've decided that you do. No matter what you may think" he responded, kissing my neck and giving me goosebumps all over. Then he turned quite serious. "If we do make it through tomorrow, I want you to be my girl." He handed me the ring off his left hand. "Put this on for me. It's a promise ring. If you wear it, it means that you promise to stay with me forever."

I was completely speechless. But there was no doubt in my mind of what I wanted, and that was him. "Ok" I said, "I promise that I'll stay...until the end of time."


End file.
